Only a month ago, we, as a people, exercised one of our most inviolable rights arising as a natural consequence of our freedom and democracy. Our history as a nation is marked with continuous struggles to fight for, and preserve, our democracy against forces that threaten to undermine it. It has been, inarguably, a long and arduous process, but we are already witnessing the fruits of our vigilance to preserve this hard-fought freedom.
Freedom from unemployment, freedom from illiteracy, freedom from sickness and disease — we Filipinos all have the same aspirations; aspirations which we hope to attain as the Philippines experiences continual rebirth as a nation.
However, our nation can no longer be defined solely by technical metes and bounds. Globalization has contributed to expand our boundaries to bring 7.4 million Filipinos to almost every corner of the world.
Our engineers and technicians run and operate oil wells in Saudi Arabia. Filipino nurses ensure the well-being of their patients in Kuwaiti hospitals and health centers. Household workers look after Arab households in other areas in the Middle East. As such, they are a vital component not only in Philippine, but also in the Middle Eastern, economic mechanism.
The heroic sacrifices of our Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) are not few. Their contributions and noble efforts will always be recognized by their fellow Filipinos. And as we commemorate Philippine independence, I am proud to salute our modern-day heroes.
Mabuhay sa inyong lahat!
Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo
President, Republic of the Philippines